At half-past four in the morning, Hermione woke up as usual, but as she rolled out of bed, her feet met an unfamiliar, soft sensation—carpet, and not the rough fabric kind found at school.
It took her a moment to register that she was in the guest room at Harry's house. Her hand drifted unconsciously to her lips, the events of the previous night still vivid in her mind. She couldn't recall how long she and Harry had kissed, nor what time it was when they stumbled, dazed, out of the ice cave. But one thing was certain.
Gryffindor was definitely losing a ton of house points today.
And it was all Harry's fault!
Fuming, Hermione stormed off to confront Harry, who was sleeping in his room on the third floor.
After a frantic trip back to Hogwarts with Dobby's help, Hermione dragged Harry straight to the hourglasses that tracked house points.
But when they reached the hourglasses, ready to face the consequences, they were stunned to find Gryffindor's hourglass unchanged, its rubies gleaming as brightly as ever.
Though it was odd that Professor McGonagall had let them off, Harry wasn't about to question her mercy by marching up to her office.
Ask McGonagall why they hadn't been docked massive points? Harry would rather face a dragon.
"Hello, Professor McGonagall, Hermione and I were out past curfew last night…" Harry couldn't imagine saying those words to her.
But he had a sneaking suspicion—no, he was certain—that Hermione would.
So when Harry learned at noon that McGonagall had deducted a hundred points from Gryffindor and given both him and Hermione a week's detention, he wasn't the least bit surprised.
Ron, however, couldn't wrap his head around Hermione's actions.
Though he didn't know where Harry and Hermione had snuck off to, the fact that Hermione's confession cost Gryffindor a hundred points sent Ron into a shouting match with her.
"You idiot! Why would you tell McGonagall about your little nighttime adventure?!" Harry overheard Ron yelling in the Great Hall, clutching a roasted potato and gesturing wildly at Hermione. "What, you think Gryffindor's got points to spare or something?!"
"Enough, Ron," Harry said, stepping quickly behind Hermione. "She did the right thing."
Ron, expecting Harry to back him up, stared at him with a look of utter betrayal. "What, did she slip you a Love Potion? Why are you taking her side?"
"Well, saying Hermione dosed me with a Love Potion isn't entirely wrong," Harry said, smirking as he wrapped his arms around Hermione. She leaned into him naturally, comfortably.
"You… you two…" Ron's jaw dropped, pointing at them, speechless.
"That's right, Ron," Hermione said calmly, meeting his gaze. "Harry and I are together."
Her voice wasn't loud, but their earlier argument had already drawn the attention of most of the Great Hall. When her words sank in, the hall erupted with cheers and whistles.
Ron, refusing to accept it, stormed out in a huff.
He wasn't the only one disappointed. Among those who admired Harry or Hermione, Ginny was the most visibly affected. When Hermione announced their relationship, the red-haired girl burst into tears and fled the hall.
Harry and Hermione had anticipated Ron's reaction, but seeing Ginny cry stirred a pang of guilt in Harry. He knew Ginny harbored an almost obsessive admiration for him, but he'd always thought it would fade with time…
"Feel bad seeing Ginny cry?" Hermione murmured, nestling closer in his arms.
"A bit," Harry admitted, resting his chin on her shoulder. "To me, she's still that little red-haired girl… But we were always going to be together, Hermione. If we kept worrying about what others think, wouldn't that be unfair to us?"
During the afternoon Care of Magical Creatures lesson, while Hagrid introduced the class to a Kelpie, Harry and Hermione seized the chance to ask where he'd been all this time.
Hagrid was reluctant to share at first, but when Hermione asked if he'd been sent by Dumbledore to negotiate with the giants, he let out a heavy sigh. "Hermione, I swear, you're the cleverest witch I've ever met… But this is top secret. I can't go blabbing to anyone not in on the plan."
"How was it traveling with Madame Maxime?" Harry asked. "The mountains must've been rough for her, right? She doesn't seem the type for hardship."
"Not at all!" Hagrid said, his eyes glazing over as he watched the students interact with the Kelpie, lost in memory. "Let me tell you, Olympe's no stranger to toughing it out. Sure, she's elegant, always dressed to the nines, but when I heard where we were headed, I thought she'd hate climbing rocks and sleeping in caves. Not once did she complain…"
"You knew where you were going?" Harry pressed. "You knew where the giants were?"
"Dumbledore knew," Hagrid said. "He told us."
"Was the journey dangerous?" Hermione asked.
"We got ambushed three times," Hagrid said, shaking his shaggy head. "No idea where You-Know-Who's rounding up all those werewolves. If Olympe and I weren't mostly immune to their bites, the wizarding world might've had its first half-werewolf giant by now… The giants' hideout is tough to reach, at least for humans. Without Dumbledore's guidance, it took us nearly a month just to find their settlement…"
"We pretended we were off on holiday, so we headed to France, toward Olympe's school, knowing the Ministry was tailing us. We had to move slow—no magic, since the Ministry was looking for any excuse to detain us. But near the castle, we finally shook the tail…"
"Then we used a bit of magic, and the trip wasn't half bad. Ran into two mad trolls at the Polish border, had a minor scrap with a vampire in a Minsk tavern, but other than that, smooth sailing.
"We found the place, started trekking into the mountains to track them down…"
Hagrid sighed deeply. "Once we got there, we had to ditch magic. Giants don't take kindly to wizards, and we didn't want to rile them up too soon. Plus, Dumbledore warned us You-Know-Who was after the giants too, probably sending his own envoys. He told us to be extra careful, keep a low profile, in case Death Eaters were nearby…"
Under Harry and Hermione's gentle prodding, Hagrid, who'd meant to stay tight-lipped, spilled every detail like beans from a jar.
On Friday evening, Umbridge reappeared at the staff table, her face a mask of simmering malice. Harry caught her shooting venomous glares his way more than once. When their eyes met, she even made a threatening gesture.
Harry shrugged it off, turning to Hermione to discuss a Charms problem. Umbridge's threats didn't faze him—he almost wished she'd try something, preferably a direct attack. It'd make things easier.
But before Umbridge could exact her revenge, her home base—the Ministry of Magic—fell.
You-Know-Who and Death Eaters Seize Ministry, Fudge and Senior Officials Slain, Wizarding World's Future in Peril!
In a shocking assault that rocked the wizarding world, You-Know-Who led a ferocious Death Eater attack on the Ministry of Magic in the early hours of this morning. According to reliable sources, despite valiant resistance, numerous senior officials, including Minister Cornelius Fudge, tragically perished. Azkaban's Dementors have staged a mass rebellion, refusing to serve the Ministry and now believed to be allied with You-Know-Who.
We urgently call on all wizarding folk to remain vigilant. The Ministry is publishing a preliminary guide on household and personal defense, to be distributed free to all wizarding families within the next month.
This attack is not only a devastating blow to the Ministry but a severe test of the wizarding world's security. Analysts warn it may deepen internal divisions and provide an opening for external threats.
The future of the wizarding world hangs in uncertain balance. In this critical moment, unity is paramount to confront these challenges and restore peace and order.
A list of candidates for the next Minister of Magic and department heads will be announced next week.
News of the Ministry's fall spread like wildfire among the students, and You-Know-Who's return cast a pall of unease. Professors who'd lived through Voldemort's first reign wore grim expressions, while students grew restless. Those with wealth and connections began writing home, requesting transfers; those without could only watch as fear tightened its grip.
As chaos threatened to engulf the Great Hall, Dumbledore, freshly returned from the Ministry, raised a hand to quiet the students.
"You've all heard the news," he began. "This morning, the Ministry of Magic was overrun by Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Many, including Minister Fudge, gave their lives in the fight. This is a dark day, filled with fear and sorrow, but I urge you to remain calm and resolute."
"I know many of you are frightened, and that is natural. When darkness stands so boldly before us, unease is inevitable. But remember: fear is the seed Voldemort seeks to plant in our hearts. Let it take root, and we lose the strength to fight. The Ministry's fall is not the end of this war, but the start of a harder battle. Yet, even in this darkness, hope endures."
"Hogwarts, since its founding, has been a bastion of light and knowledge. Its walls have weathered countless storms and stand firm, just as our courage must not waver now. Every one of you, no matter your house, possesses unique strengths—kindness, bravery, wisdom, resilience. These are more powerful than any dark magic."
"You may wonder what you can do against such a foe. I tell you, even the smallest act of resistance matters. In this hall, when we support and uplift one another, we declare to the darkness: we will not be broken. Every spell you learn, every piece of knowledge you gain, is a weapon. The bonds of friendship, the trust between student and teacher—these are our shield."
"For a thousand years, Hogwarts has faced countless trials and risen anew. This is the cradle of hope, the forge of heroes. Each of you could be the key to turning this war's tide. Do not let despair blind you or fear hold you back. When we stand together, when we fight for justice and love, the dark tide will one day recede."
"We will strengthen the school's defenses to ensure your safety. But I ask you to study harder, grow stronger—not just in magic, but in faith and resilience. Learn to find light in the darkness. Let us honor the fallen by turning grief into strength, defending the wizarding world we hold dear."
Dumbledore's words eased the tension, and faces brightened—except for one. Umbridge's scowl deepened.
Over the next two weeks, Umbridge couldn't step out of her office without mishaps. Dungbombs pelted her from nowhere, she slipped and fell flat on her face, and the day after she barricaded herself in her office, a pipe burst, flooding half her workspace.
Unable to endure it, Umbridge fled Hogwarts within a month, suitcase in tow.
A week later, she was elected the new Minister of Magic. On her first day, she launched an impeachment campaign against most of the Wizengamot, including Albus Dumbledore.
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